Yesterday I bumped into a small change in iTunes that is already annoying me. Updating application has just became more difficult: Apple has decided to include all the app updates available in your different accounts on the same page view. Clicking on the "Download All Free Updates" will trigger an alarm, since you are trying to update apps that don't belong to your account.

The error message also deserves a prize:

"You can not update this software since you have not owned the major version of this software."

Definitely owned. Fortunately, I found something about this error and helped me to understand what was going on. iTunes thought I had apps installed that I didn't buy. I initially thought some app could be corrupt. Who knows what a major version is…

As Craig Grannell explains over at Revert to Saved in the illustrative post "App Store updating with multiple accounts now designed to make you want to kick a squirrel." Apparently the trick is to click on each individual app button (Get Update) to start downloading the ones that were purchased with the account you are using. The you'll have to switch to the other account/s and repeat the process. This is thinking different.

Some app freaks can have more than one iTunes account. I guess that a We Rule fanboy from the US could have a Canadian account to play the game only available in that country at the moment. I'm not aware this is forbidden, but it seem Apple doesn't like it. For me, switching accounts is important.

iTunes needs an overhaul as a whole idea, perhaps the user accounts could be a good way to start, and not a miserable one. With the limitation of app promotional codes to US accounts, media and potential customers who are not Americanos don't really exist. Are app reviewers expected to ask for ad-hoc distributions? They could be clearer with their policy.